Leaders of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) have said they are open to a merger with their main rival Shan party before the 2015 election to better compete against the National League for Democracy and Union Solidarity and Development Party, according to a report in the Myanmar Times on December 24.

The news comes a week ahead of the SNDP’s national convention in Tachilek on January 2-4 when some 600 representatives from 56 Shan State townships are expected to attend.

Party Vice-chairman Sai Hsaung Hsi said a merger with the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) was in the interests of the Shan people.

“There are likely to be two Shan parties in Shan State for the 2015 election and if these two merge into one, they will be stronger. They can have enough strength to compete against the two giant parties,” he told The Myanmar Times.

The SNLD, which won 23 seats in the 1990 election, was deregistered in 2010 but re-registered earlier this year after its leader, Khun Htun Oo, was released from prison in January.

The SNDP was formed by former SNLD members to compete in the 2010 election, in which it won 57 seats in both houses of Parliament and in state and division legislatures._______________________________________________________________________For more background: